Intro Flashcards
Assumption
This philosophy guides our practices – without a belief in this philosophy, there would not be a point to our practices
Determinism
Human behaviour obeys the laws of nature
Behaviour acts as other natural events do
All events are related to other events in the past
Subject to scientific exploration and investigation
Determinism
There is order in the universe
Order allows scientific exploration
Scientific inquiry comes from…
The opposite of accidentalism
Determinism
One event is caused by another
Links in a chain
Determinism
Things do not happen by chance
example: an explosion is caused by gas expanding and chemical mixing
Determinism
A prime directive
Empiricism
Observation, measurement, gathering objective facts
Empiricism
Relying on observable facts and not opinions
Direct observation and measurement
Empiricism
To understand something we must describe, predict, and control it
Empiricism
Free from bias
In the sense of saying something is or isn’t true based upon personal prejudice or opinion
Multiple people can observe the same event
Empiricism
Requires clear description of the phenomena so that observation can occur unbiased
Empiricism
Yields qualification of the results
Crosses over all 3 levels of scientific understanding: Description, Prediction, Control
Empiricism
A basic strategy
Experimentation
Conduct experiments, systematically measuring aspects of the phenomena of interest
Experimentation
Used to determine functional relations
Required in scientific inquiry
Systematic and controlled
Experimentation
Manipulate one (environmental) variable and keep other variables constant
Experimentation
What is manipulated in a scientific experiment; variables that are typically thought to have some effect on the dependent variable
Independent Variable
The measured variable; the variable that is affected/dependent upon the IV; not manipulated but observed
In behaviour analysis, this is usually the “behaviour”
Dependent Variable
A necessary requirement for believability
Replication
Not the infallibility or inherent honesty of scientists – is the primary reason science is a self-correcting enterprise that eventually gets it right
Replication
Repeating an experiment as many times as necessary to show same/similar results
Successful results of one experiment = great!
However, value is placed on repeated application yielding same results
Replication
Within one experiment (e.g. a design repeating each condition/intervention twice)
Across many experiments (e.g. across different participants, behaviours etc.)
Replication
Manipulation of variables
Experimentation
Change in one variable to see how it effects the other variable
Experimentation
How blood pressure (DV) changes due to the change of water intake (IV)
Experimentation
Being able to repeat something done once
Replication
Re-introduce variable / intervention to see effects on results across multiple experiments and people to have believability in hypothesis
Replication
Tanya recently began working with a client who is 3 years old. She saw in his file that he has had several different types of assessments conducted on his behavior in his short life. She reviewed the different assessments and came to the conclusion that his problem behaviors allow him to escape difficult demands. This is an example of experimentation
False. She only made a prediction, she did not control variables
Andre was examining the problem behavior of yelling for one of her clients. After clearly defining the behavior, she asked the staff at the group home to record when the behavior occurred based upon the definition of the behavior she provided (and trained) them. Which attitude of science did Andre adhere to?
Empiricism; objective observation and measurement of the phenomenon
A conservative value
Parsimony
Simple, logical explanations chosen over more complex or abstract
Parsimony
Frugality
Simple and logical (as compared to other explanations)
Requires the fewest assumptions
Occam’s Razor
Parsimony
We do not want to jump to complex assumptions without first ruling out simplest explanation
Parsimony
A guiding conscience
Philosophic Doubt
Healthy level of scepticism
Philosophic Doubt
Helps with process of being self correcting
Philosophic Doubt
Questions facts given starts process of empiricism
Philosophic Doubt
Always question
Science must continue to question and answer
Question your own and others’ findings
Yields additional information and keeps the science growing
Discussion later on in the Module – more there!
Philosophic Doubt
What you understand being practiced
Pragmatism
Theory being put into practice
Pragmatism
Practical application; seeing and doing; hands-on science
Pragmatism
Application of what we know to what we see
Pragmatism
Skinner first was a ‘realist’ (realism) then shifted into pragmatism as he began to conduct laboratory experiments
Methodological behaviourism was more realism
Radical behaviourism was pragmatism
Pragmatism
“Making sense out of our experiments” (Baum, 2005, p.1)
Reliable scientific predictions and control are possible
Creates an efficient science where we all don’t need to rediscover
Economical communication
Emphasises talk, terms, and descriptions
Pragmatism
Jenny has noticed that her dog is often lazy after mealtimes. Her husband says it is probably because he has eaten too much food. Jenny thinks this sounds reasonable but still wonders whether there could be another explanation for it. Jenny is engaging in:
Philosophic doubt; questions of facts
Consistent results time and time again
Lawfulness of behavior
Given perfect experimental control, you would always get the same results because behaviour is lawful
Lawfulness of Behavior
Falls within determinism but goes further
Lawfulness of Behavior
Expect behavior to start the same if environment events stays the same
Lawfulness of Behavior
Phenomenon is predictable
Lawfulness of Behavior
Contained within a deterministic view
World is lawful
Lawfulness of Behavior
Must separately adhere to behaviour (specifically) being lawful
World is lawful, therefore behaviour is lawful
Behaviour acts the same as other events/variables/phenomenon; its not subject to a different understanding
Lawfulness of Behavior
The theory that all forms of life evolve as a result of selection with respect to function, or consequences
Selectionism
Phylogeny, ontogeny, cultural
Selectionism
We engage in certain things due to the consequences we have experienced
Selectionism
Siblings raised in the same household grow up with different personalities from consequence experience
Selectionism
The environment selects our behaviours
Selectionism
Behaviours you emit differ than those I emit due to our varied experiences
Contact with reinforcement, punishment, extinction
Selectionism
Behaviours enter your repertoire due to a species-specific outcome
Reflexive behaviours
Behaviours that ensure the survival of the species
Consistent across species; Darwin
Phylogeny
Behaviours enter your repertoire throughout your lifetime due to contact with reinforcement, punishment, extinction
Operant behaviour
Ontogeny
Which philosophical assumption is considered a prime directive?
Empiricism; how we are focusing phenomenon of interest
Tianna was walking down the street and noticed the individual in front of her tripped on a loose brick on the sidewalk. She stopped and helped the woman up. Belle was also walking down the street and noticed that the woman tripped but kept walking. Which philosophical assumption explains the difference in responses?
Selectionism; due to history of consequences, Tiana stopped and Belle did not
What are the levels of scientific understanding
Description, prediction, and control (control is the highest level)
Which attitude of science refers to ruling out the explanation with the simplest/fewest assumptions?
Parsimony
Which attitude of science acknowledges an individual’s history of learning and that behaviours are chosen based on this history?
Selectionism
Which attitude of science refers to engaging in objective, unbiased observation of phenomenon?
Empiricism
Investigates socially significant behaviours with immediate importance to the participant and those close to the participant
Ask yourself: What is the value of the skill being addressed?
Applied
Example: best way someone can use division problems
Non Example: Social preference of a species of birds
Applied
The behaviour must be measurable, observable
Precise measurement of the actual behaviour in need of improvement
Behavioral
Dead man’s test (more on this next class)
Ask yourself: Is this a behaviour and can I observe it?
Behavioral
Establishing a functional control
Analytic
Demonstrates experimental control over the occurrence and non-occurrence of the behaviour
Functional relationship does exist
Analytic
Manipulating variables to see the effect on phenomenon of interest
Ask yourself: is there data and control over variables?
Analytic
Changing the IV for the Dv
Analytic
Which of the following dimensions indicates that a study is addressing goals that are meaningful to the client’s life and independence?
Applied
Able to replicate a study
Technological
Written description of all the procedures in the study needs to be sufficiently complete and detailed to enable others to replicate
Technological
All operative procedures are identified and described in detail and clarity
Ask yourself: Is there any missing info?
Technological
Behaviour change interventions are derived from the basic principles of behaviour
Conceptually Systematic
Ask yourself: Is the intervention based on reinforcement, extinction, punishment, MO or stimulus control?
Conceptually Systematic
Clinically significant effects make a meaningful difference
Effective
Refers to practical results – has the intervention shown to be effective or not
Ask yourself: is the change big enough?
Effective
Compare results to baseline to see if change was “big” enough
Effective
Which of the following dimensions ensures that a study or intervention is based on the foundations of behaviour analysis?
Conceptually Systematic
Behaviour change should be maintained over time, transfer to other settings and/or people, and/or spread to other behaviours
Once the intervention has been removed/faded off!
Generality
Focuses on lasting effects over time. Has the intervention been tested over time?
Ask yourself: did the change last?
Generality
Which example below best describes implementation of a tactic technologically?
The researchers provided a break for every 2 correct responses the student emitted
A study was conducted to test out a training protocol for staff working with adults in a residential home. The study included a step-by-step description of the training protocol, how the staff would be reinforced and any remediation procedures required. Which dimension of ABA does this adhere to?
Technological
The study was able to identify the success of the training protocol by identifying functional relation – when the intervention was implemented, staff showed a change in performance and when the intervention was withdrawn, staff performance returned to baseline levels. They were able to rule out other factors causing this change. What dimension of ABA does this adhere to?
Analytic
